The Suebian knot is a historical hairstyle attributed to the Germanic Suebi, attested by Tacitus. His reason for this was to not only appear more fear-inspiring on the battlefield, but also as a status symbol, to distinguish the freeman from the slave. The higher the ranking a person had, the more elaborate their knot would be. The person's hair would be combed either to the side or the back, and tied into this fashion.